The Abu Simbel temples, part of the Nubian archaeological site stretching from Abu Simbel to Philae, are located in Nubia, the southernmost region of Egypt, 280 kilometers north of Aswan, a major tourist destination. Construction began during the reign of Ramses II and was completed around 1233 BC. In 1960, the Egyptian government decided to build a dam in the Aswan area. To protect the Abu Simbel temples and other ancient sites before rising water levels, an international construction team comprised of Egyptians, Germans, French, Italians, and Swedish experts officially began work in 1963. The project was completed in September 1968 at a cost of US$36 million.
The Abu Simbel temples are cave temples carved from sandstone mountains, consisting of a main temple and smaller temples. The main temple contains four statues of Pharaoh Ramses II from the New Kingdom period. The smaller temple is dedicated to the goddess Hathor and Queen Nefertari. Of the six statues, four depict Ramses II and two of Nefertari are arranged alternately. The Abu Simbel temples are entirely carved into the cliff face on the west bank of the Nile, approximately 33 meters high, 38 meters wide, and 65 meters deep. Originally intended to honor the three main gods Amun, Ra, and Ptah, the Abu Simbel temples actually served only one true god—Ramses himself. The numerous sculptural scenes within the Abu Simbel temples provide later generations with rich depictions of ancient production and daily life, which are of great value for understanding the history, society, and culture of ancient Egypt.